Crossword clues for debunker
Wiktionary
n. Someone who debunks.
Wikipedia
A debunker is a person who attempts to expose or discredit claims believed to be false, exaggerated, or pretentious. The term is often associated with skeptical investigation of controversial topics such as U.F.O.s, claimed paranormal phenomena, cryptids, conspiracy theories, alternative medicine, religion, or exploratory or fringe areas of scientific or pseudoscientific research.
According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, to "debunk" is defined as:
- To expose the falseness or hollowness of (a myth, idea, or belief).
- To reduce the inflated reputation of (someone), esp. by ridicule: "comedy takes delight in debunking heroes".
If debunkers are not careful, their communications may backfire – increasing an audience's long-term belief in myths. Backfire effects can occur if a message spends too much time on the negative case, if it is too complex, or if the message is threatening.
Usage examples of "debunker".
As a scientist and a rationalist I regard it as a great fortune that the WormCam has proven the greatest debunker yet discovered.
Or suddenly gotten tired of being a debunker and gone back to being a movie star.
Paolo Ortega, world-renowned researcher and debunker of the supernatural.
Conversely, it is also easy to find oneself lining up with the debunkers and the champions of the status quo, for their arguments and views give the impression of being hard-headed, sensible.
Scientists, and reporters, and psychologists and parapsychologists and just plain debunkers.
I was talking about the debunkers, the special pleaders, the politico-archaeologists, who could twist any evidence to fill the needs of their own beliefs, the ones who had castigated me and my books.
At the other extreme were the debunkers, for whom all evidence, no matter the claimed quality or quantity of corroborating fact, was as entirely unconvincing.
You can just put on your hat again, and walk right back down those stairs, Mister, We've had too many psychologists and debunkers around here, and we don't want any more.
Professional debunkers would occasionally sit in on the services and observe Catherine as she distributed "healing cards" among the congregation, telling them to write down their specific "prayer needs," as well as names and addresses.
She made sure to use a ringer and fake blood when professional debunkers were in the audience.
And if hardened debunkers can sense the appeal, what must those untutored in scientific scepticism, like Mr `Buckley', feel?
There would be debunkers out in California who would object that pure gold wouldn't stand up as construction material.
In 1873 Mark Twain led the van of the debunkers, scraping the gilt off the lily in the Gilded Age.
And if hardened debunkers can sense the appeal, what must those untutored in scientific scepticism, like Mr 'Buckley', feel?
The tiny vessel now resting undisturbed on the surface below was a very visible debunker of the first accomplishment and impugner of the latter.